Glossy information packets and eager recruiters greeted those who turned up for the Multicultural Career Fair on Feb. 22.
Starting at noon in the D.P. Culp Center Ballroom, students looking for future employment could talk to representatives from multiple professions, including local police and law enforcement, school districts and financial institutions. “It’s a good starting point for employment,” said Kim Delaney, one of the multicultural program assistants. “It’s hard to find something immediately and this is a good way to do it.”
Most of the representatives at the booths were not giving interviews, but provided business cards and information packets to help students decide if this was the right career path for them. Some booth attendants also offered tips should the student decide to go ahead with the interview process.
“Dress appropriately,” said Ava Walker, communications officer for Johnson City Schools. “The first thing that people notice when you walk through the door is how you look.”
“Also, be prepared. Do your homework and research the company,” she said. “Most employers want to know why they should hire you and how you will fit their particular needs.”
Lamar Reid, general sales manager of WKPT ABC-19, had some advice for students wondering how to make their resumes stand out from the crowd.
“Try to be creative in your resumes,” he said. “Employers see hundreds of canned resumes. You need to sell yourself if you really want the job.
“Please don’t send in an unsolicited resume. Only send resumes for a specific job or it will end up getting lost.”
Law enforcement recruiters at the fair were looking for one thing in particular.
“Honesty is very important in the interview,” said both Chad Riggs of the Knoxville Police Department and Officer Nick Henson of the Washington County Sheriff’s Dept.
“We would rather you just admit to past mistakes than have us find out later in the background check,” said Henson.
Riggs also advised interviewees to avoid negative comments about past employment and to have a specific goal in mind for their career path.
Other upcoming career fairs include the College of Business and Technology Career Fair on Thursday, March 3, at 10 a.m. in the D.P. Culp Center Ballroom and Education Job Opportunities Day on Thursday, March 17, also in the Ballroom at 9 a.m.
For more information on future Multicultural Affairs events, call 439-4210 or visit the Multicultural Affairs web site at http://www.etsu.edu/students/central/multcult/mult.htm. For more information on future career fairs, contact Career Placement & Internship Services at 439-4441.

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